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Dale Rumble
Each person has access to two doors in their life—one is the door of our heart which can only be opened by a latch on our side. The Lord Jesus knocks on this door for us to invite Him in.
The other door also can only be opened by a latch on our side. It is the door of our mind. Satan knocks on this door to entice us to open and receive psychic knowledge of the occult world.
The door of one’s heart is the way into the kingdom of God; if our heart is closed to the Lord then our mind can become a way of deception into a kingdom of darkness and death. The knocker that Satan is using today on the other side of this door is the New Age Message.
There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death. (Proverbs 14:12)
His strategic emphasis is not what we might believe it to be. It is not atheism or communism that will deceive most of mankind. On the contrary, Satan is emphasizing the spiritual realm. His now word to the world is “be spiritual; understand the mysteries that will unlock your full potential. You are God.”
Man was created for God who placed within each of us a desire that can only be satisfied when we come to know Him. Thus, in human nature there is an inner hunger to explore mysteries of the spirit world. The issue is whether we will meet God’s conditions as expressed in the gospel for coming to know Him, or be drawn away by carnal desire to explore the psychic world of the occult. Do we heed the gently voice of the Holy Spirit to our heart, or the call of Satan to self exaltation? The issue is one of life or death!
The Christian faith is based on God’s mystery, which is Christ Himself (Colossians 2:2-3). Jesus came to earth as God in the flesh where He lived a perfect and sinless life. This incarnation of God is a mystery. Then, out of love for us, He willingly took all of mankind’s sin upon Himself and became sin on our behalf. Bearing our sin, He died in our place on the cross. Because He was innocent, He became our sin offering and was resurrected from the dead. Being glorified, He was then raised up and seated at the right hand of the Father where He now intercedes for us. These truths are spoken of in scripture as a mystery (1 Timothy 3:16).
Whenever a person believes in Him as He is revealed in the gospel, repents of their sin and personally accepts the Lord Jesus as Savior, their sins are forgiven and Christ comes to indwell that person to live and bring forth righteousness. This indwelling presence of God in man is also described in scripture as a great mystery (Colossians 1:25-27).
Salvation and the way of godliness are mysteries because they are only understood and possessed through revelation to our heart. They do not come via reasoning or intellect. We can only be saved through faith in Him who is revealed to our hearts by the Holy Spirit.
That, if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead you shall be saved; for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. (Romans 10:9-10)
Salvation is based on regenerated hearts; not on enlightened minds! This absolutely vital distinction must be clearly proclaimed in the gospel we preach ,for the world today faces the greatest mental deception Satan has ever tempted mankind with. The climax of his delusion will be the “mystery of lawlessness,” which is Satan’s final step in his strategy of rebellion against God.
The final conflict of the ages for the souls of men is even now beginning. I believe every person will be brought to a place of decision for or against the Lord before Jesus returns. The gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a witness to all nations; as a result, a great harvest will be gathered into the church as thousands upon thousands are converted to Christ.
Although multitudes are redeemed there will also be a falling away of many who, not being established in the faith, will be drawn into the occult by Satan’s deception.
But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons. (1 Timothy 4:1)
And at that time many will fall away and will deliver up one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and mislead many. And because lawlessness is increased most people’s love will grow cold. (Matthew 24:10-12)
Those who will not receive love of the truth so as to be saved will be deceived into believing what is false. The apex of this deception concerns what scripture calls the “man of lawlessness” (or the antichrist), a man of sin who will ultimately be indwelt by Satan (2 Thessalonians 2:3-12). He will be incarnate having bodily form and substance.
The deception that will lead people to believe this man will be based on mighty demonstrations of occultic power, lying signs and false wonders. These activities will take place over a period of time under an umbrella of mind-oriented “theology” known as the New Age Movement. Although it is in reality the doctrines of demons, New Age teaching has been fashioned so as to have mental appeal to peoples of both Eastern and Western cultures.
The man of sin will emerge as a dominant authority figure and leader in world affairs. he will appear to have answers for monumental problems concerning military, economic, religious and political issues that face the nations. He will proclaim a new age of enlightenment, the Astrological New Age of Aquarius in which there will be one world government and one world religion.
The mystery of lawlessness will eventually be recognized by the world for who he is to their sorrow, when they understand that Satan has become incarnate in him. Satan enters this man so that he will be worshipped as god by the world, for this he has desired above all else from the beginning!
And now you are aware what is detaining for him to be unveiled in his own era (Satan, who as a spirit being is the detainer or restrainer of righteousness, will be unveiled). For the secret of lawlessness is already operating. Only when the present detainer (Satan) may be coming to be out of the midst (i.e. appearing in the midst of the people), then will be unveiled the lawless one (i.e. Satan incarnate) . . . whose presence is in accord with the operation of Satan . . . . (2 Thessalonians 2:6-9, Concordant Literal New Testament)
During this terrible period of trouble, the antichrist will control commerce and permit no one to buy or sell without taking his mark upon either their right hand or upon their forehead. It will apparently involve a Luciferian rite; in any case, to take his mark is to be eternally lost (Revelation 13:16-17, 14:11, 16:2, 19:20). This time of testing will be brought to an end by the coming of the Lord.
In order to avoid these snares of the devil and be able to clearly and intelligently warn others, one must be able to recognize New Age activities and teaching in the light of God’s word. This is necessary if the church is to be effective in evangelizing those who are candidates for this deception. Christians have nothing to fear from Satan. We are to overcome him and expose his works. The tools that we have been given to accomplish this are the gospel in its simplicity, along with the gifts and ministries of the Holy Spirit (James 4:7-8; Ephesians 6:10-18).
Practices and teachings of the New Age are not new; they have been around for centuries. In the 1960’s, evil spirits from the East began to have a growing influence upon nations of the West. This came about through an influx of swamis and gurus from India, and because of many in the drug scene who went to India to consult such people. It is significant that this took place during the charismatic renewal; apparently Satan’s reaction to a work of the Holy Spirit.
In 1975, various groups of the occult came together to form the “New Age Movement.” It is a growing entity that is best described as a loosely linked communication network of diverse psychic/occultic literature and teaching in which there is mutual support but no, one, overall leader.
It represents an umbrella “theology” that unites common occultic themes and practices, even groups with quite different emphases, such as witchcraft and astrology. Together they are like a might octopus with tentacles of deceit and death reaching out to every section of society. It is the deep darkness that the prophet Isaiah saw covering the earth in the last days (Isaiah 60:2).
It promises a counterfeit millennium, the astrological New Age of Aquarius. This is to be an age of enlightenment without the God of the bible, where man is enthroned. The concepts of God, the world, man and salvation are taken from classic Hinduism, as are many related mystical experiences. It is pantheistic in that God and nature are one. There is one ultimate kind of matter for all things. If all is one, then there can be no sin, death or guilt of sin. Therefore, the substitutionary death of Christ is meaningless. Hinduism agrees that Jesus is God, but no more than we can be. He simply achieved “Christ consciousness,” something we can all attain to. After this life one can reach higher levels of existence through cycles of reincarnation.
The pantheistic God is impersonal, neither speaking or acting. Space and time are considered illusions. Thus, there is no concept of divine revelation as in Christianity. Rather, spiritual knowledge is always available to anyone who, by an “altered state of consciousness,” is able to perceive it. This is where demonic deception comes into play. The mental ability to penetrate the illusion of space and time, and thereby achieve this new state of consciousness, comes from mystical occultic experiences. For example, through medium contact, guidance in the form of messages is received from spirit beings who falsely identify themselves as “extra terrestrials from other galaxies,” or as persons who have lived on earth at some time in the past. However, they are demons whose objective is to deceive and entrap the listener.
The psychic messages given to the inquirers are mind and ego oriented designed to turn the listener to himself and away from God and His word. They contradict what scripture teaches on repentance, the need for forgiveness of sin, God’s judgment, the blood of Christ, the nature and persons of God, etc. The following are some examples of messages that have been received:
One does not have to go to a medium for messages that have a common theme with these. Psychotherapists who teach a self-ist psychology emphasizing self-love, self-seeking, self-esteem and self-actualization present a mental foundation upon which New Age deception can be built. Two such well recognized programs are e.s.t. (Erhard Seminars Training) and Silva Mind Control. These are a blend of human potential psychology and Eastern mysticism. Striving to raise one’s human potential through love of self by self-assertion and self-confidence can lead to self-deification. It is wise to remember that pride is the father of all sin, and that humility is a work of greatness in God’s kingdom.
The bible teaches us to exercise self-control and self-discipline, and to measure our individual worth in terms of how much God loves us, and by recognizing the price He paid for our salvation.
The message of classic Hinduism would not appeal to a typical Western mind. It teaches that what is earthly is in direct conflict with the spiritual. Therefore, anyone seriously seeking salvation should renounce the world and pleasures. The world and events in it are an illusion and therefore obstacles to overcome. This emphasis can be seen in the so-called Hindu “holy men” who go about naked, without possessions and often covered with ashes.
To appeal to Western culture, the New Age has modified this aspect of Hinduism to now affirm the value of world realities such as people, culture, peace, the environment, education, politics, etc. Instead of “turn-on, tune-in and drop-out” as Timothy Leary used to preach during the 1960’s in his endorsement of Hinduism, candidates today are now offered a challenge of changing the world by preparing for the New Age of enlightenment. For example, groups of New Agers will come together for collective meditation and to harmonize their psychic energy in an attempt to bring peace, or for some other “good cause.”
They also place much emphasis on improving one’s self and one’s work capability with psychological self-esteem teaching. The blend of self-actualization with psychic phenomena, along with a challenge to change the world, is what makes the New Age so subtle and appealing to the uninformed.
Western culture has been prepared for the New Age Movement by the teachings of various Mind Science cults (i.e. Theosophy, Christian Science, Unity). The theology of these groups is a 19th century occultism mixed with certain Hindu concepts.
The teaching of evolution has helped prepare the way for the New Age concept of cosmic evolution where one supposedly evolves into a higher plane of existence through cycles of reincarnation. In a similar sense, secular humanism is a stepping stone to self-deification.
It is easy to understand how these ungodly teachings can appeal to the unregenerated man.
There are two primary objectives that compromise the New Age strategy to change the world.
(i) Personal Transformation
This is a psychic counterfeit of Christian regeneration. Individuals are “transformed” when he (or she) achieves an altered (higher) consciousness. New Agers also speak of this experience as a “paradigm shift” (a shift in one’s perspective of reality). However Christians recognize the experience as being demonized. This unfortunate state usually begins by what appears to be an innocent, harmless experiment or technique that promises to increase one’s potential. It may also start as simply an exercise to satisfy one’s curiosity about magic or the unknown. The critical step is to seek for guidance in personal decisions from the psychic realm rather than from God.
This state is arrived at through one or more mystical/psychic experiments in which contact is made with the spirit world. When a medium is used (often while in a trance) as in a seance, the spirit contracted will generally pretend to be someone known to the inquirer, who had died. Familiarity with personal details are used to deceive the listener. The channel is a medium who supposedly can contact an entity who died thousands of years ago and has now “evolved” to the state of “ancient master,” “ascended masters,” masters of wisdom” or “wise ones.” Other names given by “less exalted” spirits are “light bearers,” spirit guides,” inner guides,” “inner teachers,” etc. In all cases, the messages are from demons who the bible calls “familiar spirits.”
There are other practices that the New Age encourages to lead one into contact with the spirit world apart from any medium. Three of the most significant are the use of psychedelic drugs, obsession with hard (metallic) rock music and fantasy role—playing games such as “Dungeons and Dragons.”
(ii) Planetary Transformation
The New Age seeks to win sufficient individuals so as to be able to change the world. To accomplish this, they focus on leaders and persons of social influence in the professions, especially education, the media, politics, religion, health care and psychology. Education appears to have been given highest priority. Their influence in our schools is significant and increasing.
The following are some occultic practices plus supporting psychological beliefs and experiences that abound in the New Age Movement. These are all demonic in origin and are to be avoided by Christians.
The word of God clearly warns us to not practice such things:
Do not turn to mediums or spiritists; do not seek them or be defiled by them. I am the Lord your God. (Leviticus 19:31)
As to the person who turns to mediums and to spiritists, to play the harlot after them, I will set my face against that person and will cut him off from among his people. (Leviticus 20:6)
There shall not be found among you anyone . . . who uses divination, one who practices witchcraft, or one who interprets omens or a sorcerer, or one that casts a spell, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For whoever does these things is detestable to the Lord . . . . (Deuteronomy 18:10-12)
But the . . . unbelieving . . . the murderess, immoral persons and sorcerers . . . , their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone which is the second death. (Revelation 21:8)
Satan has three approaches to draw persons into error and deception. To one who has limited understanding of God’s ways he will present error as truth and darkness as light. To one with greater understanding and spiritual awareness of God’s word, he brings a mixture of truth and error. To one who is Spirit-filled and committed to walk in the light of all revealed truth, he brings an over emphasis of some truth to the extent there is an unbalance in the message preached, which can lead to error. In all cases, he seeks to instill pride and self sufficiency in the people who will listen to him. To have spiritual pride in one’s heart is to shake hands with the devil!
There are significant numbers of persons in or on the periphery of traditional mainline churches who are potential candidates for New Age deception. Any demonstration of supernatural power can appear to them to be a work of God. The New Age attempts to infiltrate such churches. New Agers will speak with glowing enthusiasm about God (to them a cosmic force or energy) and about atonement (to them at-one-ment with nature and the universe). The New Age “gospel” they preach is presented as an updating extension of the gospel of the bible. They will speak of the new birth (to them reincarnation) and the goodness of religion (to them all religions). They will promote psychotherapy techniques as the way to attain greater spirituality (such as Yoga, T.M., Mind Control, etc.). In all of these endeavors, they will frequently quote scripture, but always out of context and never so as to encourage a study of the bible.
Fundamental Christians with a strong emphasis on knowing scripture, but who are not Spirit-filled, and therefore unfamiliar with spiritual gifts, would not normally be attracted to psychic experiences in the occult. In fact, out of fear of all supernatural manifestations they draw back from being equipped with true spiritual gifts. As a consequence, they are weakened in their ability to help deliver those in bondage or demonized from the occult. In addition, because their emphasis is more mind and knowledge oriented, they can be susceptible to subtle mental avenues of deception. The most obvious example is the use of “Christian” psychology for counseling rather than simply using the word of God. Psychology and the message of self-worth and self-actualization in dealing with the psyche and mind of those with personal problems easily leads into psychotherapy practices of the New Age.
Another example can be found in certain holistic health teachings that have been adopted from Eastern religions. These appeal to the mind while appearing to offer hope to those who are ill. The refined foods, chemical additives and junk foods of our culture also encourage this trend. However, New Agers believe that health is a matter of energy, not material matter. They teach that our body is affected by cosmic forces of energy, and that one can manipulate this spiritual energy to gain health. This is accomplished through certain relaxation exercises (i.e. Yoga), mediation and diet (i.e. vegetarianism, etc.). The body is considered an instrument, along with the mind, in the quest for self-deification and it must be carefully tuned for harmony with the universal energy. Some words they use to speak of this body-energy relationship are: Prana, Ch’i, Ying and Yang. This is clearly another door that can lead into occult experiences and practices. One of the doctrines of demons prophesied for the last days is “to abstain from certain foods” ( 1 Timothy 4:3).
A Spirit-filled Christian is not immune from the forces of deception. Truth emphasized to the extreme becomes error. We cannot overemphasize any one truth without beginning to neglect another. The fault for such an unbalance usually can be traced to placing too much emphasis on one’s ability to understand, to have knowledge and reasoning, and not depending enough on the Lord and power of the Holy Spirit.
One example is an over emphasis on seeking spiritual guidance through what is called visualization, where a believer searches in a disciplined fashion with his imagination for an image of the Lord. The image will then “come to life” in his imagination and converses with the seeker, who keeps a journal record of the conversation. The New Age teaches that we can bring into existence whatever we visualize, since “we create our own reality.” Thus, one can tap into an unlimited potential by visualizing whatever he wishes, such as wealth and possessions for himself. Thus, the question one must ask is whether such an image is a “mental idol” or a reality of the Lord Himself.
Much of the psychology used to support visualization came from the work of Carl Jung, a world famous psychologist who developed his teaching messages from a psychic (demonic) guide. Jung was a demonized occultist for most of his life, and the revelations and visions he received from the spirit world was the basis of his teaching.
The Lord has made provision for all the spiritual guidance we will ever need. He has given us His word for instruction, and He gives us the Holy Spirit to reveal Himself and His word to us. He has also given certain gifts of the Holy Spirit that bring truth to us. These include the word of knowledge, the word of wisdom, the discerning of spirits and the three prophetic gifts. In addition, if He wishes to reveal something new to us He can do so by visions, or if we are asleep, by dreams. Both dreams and visions are initiated by the Lord. He also speaks into our heart as we seek Him in prayer and worship. It is by these avenues that we can have the mind of Christ; and in all cases the Lord brings truth to us through our spirit. Our interface to God is by our heart and not by our mind or imagination! There is no “latent” or undeveloped power in the human mind; power comes from the spirit realm; either from the Lord or from demonic influences.
Revelation is a God initiated anointing of our spirit; visualization is a psychologically initiated exercise of the imagination that can lead to idols of the mind. The Spirit of God enlightens the eyes of our hearts (Ephesians 1:18); the New Age seeks to enlighten the mind. Imagination is not reality!
Normal visualization can be good and motivational, but not when taken to an extreme by attempting to manipulate God. It is equally wrong to allow one’s imagination to run wild in fantasies, or to visualize money and possessions one may want believing that it is possible to materialize them through the power of one’s imagination. The occult can do such things through demonic power, even to the extent of bending metal and producing levitation.
The issue is the role and nature of our mind. The original fall came through Satan’s temptation of Eve in this area. Because a weakness in our mind has been inherited from our first parents, the bible instructs us to renew and control our minds (Romans 12:1-3; 2 Corinthians 10:5). Renewal begins with the new birth as we humble ourselves in repentance, confess our sins, and as a little child , believe His word and accept Him as our Savior. However, the renewal process continues as we grow up in Christ. We must always guard our thought life and imagination, for the way of maturity is not the way of self exaltation; it is the lowly way that Jesus taught us to learn from Him (Matthew 11:29, 5:3-12). The emphasis is never on ourselves; it is always on Him. Who He is in us is far more important than who we are in Him. Both are true, but the emphasis must be on Him!
But I am afraid, lest as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your mind should be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. (2 Corinthians 11:3)
The gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes (Romans 1:16). The simplicity of the gospel is the answer to all who seek life and reality. It is out of the simplicity of our mind and the hunger of our heart, that we can know the mysteries of God.
Jesus asks everyone who is in bondage to sin, the poor, the oppressed, the hurting and the unloved, to come to Him. He loves you and will save you.
If you are one who is involved in the occult or a cultic based organization, and you want to be free and become a child of God, you must renounce Satan and forsake the occult as you repent and pray to receive the Lord into your heart.
Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” (John 14:6)
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ . . . God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. (Romans 5:1, 8, 9)
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23)
And the witness is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. ( 1 John 5:11-12)
REFERENCE LITERATURE
“Confronting the New Age”; Douglas Groothuis; Intervarsity Press.
“Unmasking the New Age”; Douglas Groothuis; Intervarsity Press.
“The New Age Rage”; Karen Hoyt; Revell.
Those who desire to better understand the differences between soul and spirit, and how these parts of our being interface and relate to each other; how the mind, emotions and will in a believer are affected by the Holy Spirit, are referred to the following book:
“Body, Soul & Spirit, God’s Building Blocks”; Dale Rumble; Selah Publishing 1-800-917-2665.
Much of the material in this tract was taken from a course taught on the New Age Movement by Ah-Tua-Teo and Peter Rogati of Catskill, New York, to whom I extend my thanks.
